Enter the Desert
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: From the sands of a great desert, stone mountains and plains in the east, a new power is on the rise, The Country of Aza. Please rate and comment. I'd like to thank Rin Fang for all the support, I don't own any rights to this show.
1. Chapter 1

**Utawarerumono- Enter the Desert.**

**(Note- This is a totally different story from the anime series. I don't own the rights to the show.)**

**(The name of every OC and place name that is not in the actual show is of Muslim and Central Asian origin. Please comment, review, and send fan arts.)**

There is a country on the borders of Kuccha Keecha and Tusukuru, a land of few trees and oceans of sand; the country of Aza. It's people are divided into three clans which are governed over by the 33 year old Empress Takiyah II and her three mistresses.

The three clans are the Amani, Manha, and Noriyah. Each of the three mistresses' rules over one clan; the three ruling mistresses are Jun of the Amani, Inaya of the Manha, and Sanari of the Noriyah. Jun is the youngest of the mistresses at 30 while Inaya is the oldest at 40.

This story centers around Mai (Muslim for 'Antelope' and Japanese for 'Dance'), known as the 'Black Devil' in Kuccha Keecha. She is a young and skilled warrior of the Noriyah Clan. She is probably the clan's best mercenary and often time's fights on the front lines of battle.

The Azani mercenaries like similar Berber or Tuareg warriors. They are very young, strapping warriors who wear long dark robes, chainmail hauberks and scale-armor made of small, rectangle-shaped plates that stretched down to the wearer's upper thighs.

They also cover the tops of their heads with turbans of varying colors with cloth veils to protect themselves from the regular sand storms. Yet Aza holds one great secret, there are no woptar. Instead, Aza is the only place in the entire alternate world that raises horses and camels for both work and battle.

**Chapter 1- The Call to Arms and Beginning of the Second Conflict**

Our story takes place after a brutal massacre in the Amani plain by the Evenkuruga. The entire village was burned to the ground and not a single person survived. Mistress Jun is enraged and wishes for all three tribes to come together and declare war on Kuccha Keecha.

On top of that, the Azani has been the subject of racism from their neighbors in Kuccha Keecha. Its inhabitants are often discriminated because of their wolf ears and tales which is the main reason why they refuse to trade with them. They also disliked their graceful steeds joking that they look like something you'd rather eat than ride.

One thing they folks of Kuccha Keecha don't like about the Azani is their law allowing same-sex marriage. The laws were simple in the desert, serve your empress and land. The people of Aza lived and worked in harmony despite the negativity given by their neighbors in the north.

A clan meeting of the three mistresses has been called forth called by Empress Takiyah II as she decided to settle this matter once and for all. Her eyes looking at the mistresses present from all three tribes. She scratched her chin in thought, waiting for them to come forth with a plan of action,

"Takiyah-dono, the village of Masawi was burned to the ground; the invaders didn't even spare children! We must act now before it's too late!_"_ Jun protested in an angry rage. She unsheathed her sword and flashed its edge in the Empress's presence, "If they do this heinous act once they will probably do it again!"

"Jun-sama," Empress Takiyah said calmly moving the blade to the side with the back of her middle and index finger, "why should we declare war on an enemy we know nothing about?" She asked her subject and tribal leader of the Amani people. Jun bowed apologetically to the empress.

"She's right," said Inaya skeptically looking at Jun with an expression of distrust, "what proof do we have that this wasn't done by one our own?" she presented as a question to the tribal leaders. Jun, being the youngest of the three leaders, stood up in opposition to Inaya's claim,

"Ha! The Gods must've poisoned your mind if you think I'd have the nerve to slaughter my own people!" Jun blasted back at the Manha leader, standing up from her seat.

"Oh, I think your war-mongering would have to say much more than that, Jun!" Inaya replied heatedly, the swords of the two women clashed in the presence of the empress whom was not appeased, "you are still young and much to learn about your position as a tribal leader,"

"Silence both of you; I will not tolerate such childish behavior in my presence!" Takiyah snapped as she stepped in to separate the two feuding women, "but it is true, that this attack should not be taken lightly…"

"Takiyah-dono, I may have something that might be of importance," said Sanari, probably the cleverest of the three, showing her a sword she picked up from ruins of the village, "our foe left this behind in Masawi,"

"It's a sword…" Takiyah said not seeing the point

"Yes, but this is not a sword from Aza…this one's from Kuccha Keecha," Sanari scorned calmly as she was defending Mistress Jun's innocence and answering in favor of her call to arms.

"Kuccha Keecha you say? Well, Lord Orikakan and I have had quite a bloody relationship in the past," Takiyah said referring to the fact that Orikakan killed her female lover 20 years ago. The woman Lord Orikakan was arranged to marry actually had a secret love relationship with the Empress of Aza.

Orikakan found out about this and had her executed the following day for the crime of 'trying to dirty the family bloodline,' Takiyah never forgave him for that. She held the sword in her hand and clinched its leather bound grip with anguish and resentment, "call forth our young warriors to battle, for tomorrow…we ride to war,"

Sanari grabbed her things and left the council. She returned on horseback to the Noriyah lands to dispatch the news to her warriors. As she came through the gates, Mai, her best friend, was waiting for her with open arms.

"Sanari-sama it's good to have you back!" She cried cheerfully running over to hold her friend in her soft embrace, "tell me, how was the meeting?"

"Sigh… please call all the villagers to gather in the palace and I'll explain," Sanari replied, somberly bowing her head. Mai did as she was told and called everybody to Sanari's palace; knowing that the leader may have something distressing on her mind.

The 35 year old mistress had a medium-sized palace. It was of the Kofun period style, with 10 rooms for her servants and subjects and one great hall where her throne resided. She conducted everything in the great hall from village meetings to sword fighting.

Sanari sat at her throne and looked her people with a straight face, "People of the Noriyah, I have just come back from the clan council with some very distressing news. Empress Takiyah-dono has issued out a declaration of war against our neighbors in Kuccha Keecha,"

Her people were in shock as they murmured to one another about their distresses. Sanari closed her eyes and bowed her head to her worried people, "Now I know the massacre of Masawi is a great and terrible tragedy, so as I am just a messenger to the empress, I will gladly open my ears to your decision,"

"I say we fight, for the Souls of Masawi!" a voice of a young man rang out from the crowd. This soon started an uproar in the crowds as they too felt open war was the best decision.

"Right, then to war it is," Sanari said opening her eyes and raising her sword to her people who, in response, shouted the Aza battle cry; 'Azar' meaning 'Fire' in Iranian, "Mai-sama,"

"Yes, my lady?" Mai bowed from her position at the mistress's side. Mai rested her right hand on the pommel of her sword and breathed a ready to sigh. For she was going to ride out with her brothers and sisters to meet the enemy in battle.

Sanari was a beautiful woman. she had short black hair and brown eyes. She was the second youngest of the Empress's tribal leaders, with Jun being the youngest of the three, "You'll be riding at my side tomorrow?" She asked,

"Of course," Mai nodded happily, "I'll serve by your side to the bitter end, my lady," The soldiers of the Noriyah met with the cavalry and warriors from the neighboring tribes and so began the Second Aza war between the armies of the Azani and the invading forces of Kuccha Keecha.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- The Battle of the Shiatan Plain**

The next morning in the flat sands of the Manha region, Takiyah II rode at the head of her army of over 10,000 cavalry and nearly 2,000 infantry under both the Imperial Flag and the banners of the three clans. The sounds of clinking armor and rattling weapons could be heard for miles around. Both men and women fight in the name of Aza, many are between the ages of 20 and 43 with much battle experience from the first Aza War against Kuccha Keecha.

The one way to tell the difference between a male and female warrior was that female warriors had deep cuts in the side of their baggy pants exposing the skin of their thighs which were decorated with tattoos of varying designs while male warriors don't. Men often had one side of their faces tattooed as both a show of pride and to intimidate their enemy. Warriors also wore simple shoes made of camel hide

Each clan has a flag to represent in battle. The Imperial Flag was deep blue with a golden dragon at its center, the Flag of the Amani was black with a pouncing white tiger, Manha sported a yellow flag with a red phoenix, and finally the Banner of the Noriyah was dark green with a silver guardian lioness holding up the sun in its paws.

Sanari, Jun, and Inaya rode behind the Empress while their best warriors leading their columns according to clan in the back. Their whinnied and shook their heads as they trotted alongside their empress in a perfect line of three while the army was organized in 10 rows of 100 with the cavalry guarding the flanks in the same organization.

The Azani are a cavalry-based fighting force. Some warriors serve as mounted archers and carried deadly composite bows. Their treasured bows were made of horn, wood and sinew nearly 54 inches long in overall length with around 70 to 90 pounds of drawback pressure. What made the bow such a deadly force in the Azani arsenal was that the bow would be stretched against the wood's natural curve which creates massive tension.

The Azani bow's deadliest attribute was that the bow could amass 4,000lbs per square inch of pressure at full draw, a force that would shatter an Evenkuruga bow. The arrow was also developed into a sophisticated missile. Azani archers had an array of arrowheads made of the finest steel in their saddle-side quivers.

Warriors treasured their weapons and often decorate their tools with great skill and craftsmanship, as is the case with pole arms. Foot soldiers arm themselves black lacquered wood spears and cavalry carried lances with long streamlined heads. Spears and lances measured nearly 7 feet long and tipped with a 16 inch long and 1 1/2 inch wide steel head with a 7 inch socket.

These weapons are designed to fly swiftly through the air or pierce armor in cavalry charges, especially plate armor. These, like all Azani weapons, were made of the finest steel and engraved with beautiful patterns. In truth with these weapons show that beauty is a mostly deadly advantage.

Swords are the main weapon for most soldiers. Foot soldiers and the empress use a type of broadsword as a side weapon with their spears or other weapons. This type of sword measured around 32inches long with a double-edged blade coming to a spear point tip. It also has a cruciform shaped guard and a slightly curved handle. Like all Azani swords, it was designed for single-handed combat.

Mounted troops, on the other hand, are armed two types of sword, the shamshir. The shamshir is a 35inch long sword that was designed to slash. It is a single-handed weapon with a curved blade curving anywhere from 5 to 15 degrees. Like Evenkuruga swords, there is no pommel, but the sword does have a simple crossguard.

But blades and spears weren't the only favorite weapons. Other weapons carried were the battleaxe and the Gurj, or mace. The mace has a basket-hilt for hand protection and is made out of high quality steel. These weapons measure between 28 and 31inches long are often beautifully engraved with intricate designs.

The mace comes in two forms, the 8-flanged or the 6-flanged. Some cavalrymen favored this simple but nasty weapon and nicknamed it the 'Lion's Paw' for its impact power against enemy armor or often times an enemy's skull.

The zaghnal or battleaxe is a favorite among Aza cavalry besides swords, lances and the bow and arrow. They are often beautifully engraved on the head and shaft. This axe is specifically for breaking armor with its reinforced steel, knife-shaped head measuring 9 inches long. This made it a very intimidating weapon to face on the battlefield,

In tech terms, an average Aza soldier on horseback is traveling about 45 mph in a full long charge. That means that's about a ton and a half of impact pressure centered on the tip of a lance or any edged weapon. You don't want to be on the receiving end of that. Mai rode up on her brown thoroughbred named Ahsan to Sanari's side, "How are our warriors holding up back there?" Sanari asked her most faithful companion,

Mai, wearing a black turban, long black robes. Her armor was the standard form of Aza soldiers; a cuirass of steel armor consisting of small rectangular plates linked to together to form a shirt that stretched down to the upper thighs and chainmail tunics underneath of the same length.

Mai the Black Devil drew her deadly shamshir for battle, "They're ready, Sanari-sama," said Mai with a friendly smile, "although you are new to your position as tribal leader, you should know by now that we'll fight by your side to the death; we'll never surrender,"

The mistress is clad in the same form of armor as her most faithful companion, greeted her warmly while mounted on her lightly armored grey Arabian, "Hmm…spoken like a true Noriyah warrior," Sanari commented watching her apply her veil covering the bottom half of her face to protect herself from Aza's harsh sandstorms.

"Sanari-sama, alert your best warriors to take her position under the dunes," Takiyah commanded looking at Mai with a clever smile. She was wearing a blue turban and veil with a silver band around her turban. She also wore blue robes under a cuirass of golden scale armor and chainmail. She unsheathed her broadsword and prepared for battle, "I have a little surprise for Lord Orikakan,"

"Sakuryaku no Sasori...that's very clever Takiyah-sama," Sanari said immediately recognizing her plan of action. She sent Mai back to her troops to relay the orders. The Sakuryaku no Sasori or The Scorpion Tactic is a "no escape" method used by Aza warriors. It requires a small group of soldiers (about 100 the 150) to hide under the sand until the enemy cavalry or foot soldiers sound a retreat. They emerge from the dunes as soon as they are close enough for a sword and spring into action.

"Mai-sama, take a small group of our attacking force and position them under the sand. I don't have to tell what to do from here as I'm assuming you'd know," Sanari commanded as she pointed her sword in the direction of the flat oceans of sand; where a great battle was about to begin.

"Yes my lady, "Mai dismounted and hid into the sand with the desired number of soldiers in plan.

Meanwhile, Lord Orikakan and Touka were riding with their attacking force of around 50,000 soldiers on foot and woptar in the erred sands of Aza to confront the warrior empress, "Who would want to rule such a godforsaken place?" said Touka, "it's so hot and I haven't seen a single stream for days now,"

"It's a tough place to fight a battle, it's very mountainous and there are many places to hide; so keep your eyes peeled for enemy scouts," Orikakan said as he scanned the plain searching for Takiyah's forces but they were nowhere to be found.

"Hmm…I hear woptar and soldiers, Inaya-dono," a young scout informed his leader. She went to the empress riding down the dunes from her position at the head of her warriors.

"Thank you, soldier; how many forces have our enemy come with?"

"I would say around 40 to 50,000"

"_Hmm…that is a very alarming number, it seems Lord Orikakan seeks to conquer judging by such a massive force, I must warn Takiyah-sama at once_," she thought riding down to relay the news to the empress "Orikakan's forces are amassed in the east, my lady, my scouts say they have around 50,000 soldiers at hand,"

"Thank you Inaya-sama, we attack on my say," She said with her silver sword at her side. Her soldiers followed a mount their horses with their weapons at the ready. Takiyah rode up on her white stallion to the top of the dune; her horse was rearing in the blazing sun as she raised her sword shimmering in the light.

"It's Empress Takiyah!" Orikakan cried looking at her in awe, "Soldiers, prepare of repel the cavalry!" His soldiers got into positions, spears at the ready, "send these foul wolves back to the sand!"

The horn battle trumpet of Aza echoed on the winds, "Attack!" Takiyah wailed galloping down the dune at the head of her 10,000 warriors; pointing her sword forward to the enemy forces, "Forward now my great soldiers, to Heaven where we will die with honor!"

Her army charged in a crescent shape and encircled the Kuccha Keecha forces like an armored flood. Their mounted archers and infantry picked off and slaughtered their soldiers one by one like target practice.

"_10,000 against 50,000 is she insane_?" Touka thought charging with into the smaller army. Closer and closer the smaller army came. A slash of the empress's broadsword felled the first Evenkuruga as the battle quickly turned into a massacre.

Aza swords proved to be deadly against the slower moving Kuccha Keecha cavalry as their blades and lances cut a bloody swath through the enemy lines. Bodies were decapitated and sands of Aza were painted red with the blood of the Evenkuruga in a battle that lasted well over 2 days.

The cadavers and lifeless corpses of both armies littered the field for miles around. With their numbers dwindling into the low hundreds, Touka fought as hard as she could to no avail while Orikakan and Takiyah II dueled for most of the battle, neither gaining an advantage over the other.

"Impossible…my army," Orikakan looked around the crimson fields as his attacking force of 50,000 was reduced to less than 200; Takiyah only lost about 300 soldiers in the entire battle, mostly to archers and Touka's sword.

"Maybe you should clad your men in armor next time you come out to challenge me, Orikakan-sama," Takiyah said pushing back Orikakan's mace out of his hands and pointing her sword at his neck.

"Why you impudent wench!" Orikakan cringed, "Touka-dono! Sound the retreat!" Orikakan yelled to his soldiers, ordering them to fall back to the safety of Kuccha Keecha,

"Fall back, fall back!" Touka cried sounding a withdrawal, a bad decision on her part as Lady Sanari's elite warriors emerged from the sand as the enemy cavalry rode by to their surprise, "Huh? What the hell?" Many warriors were unwoptared by their swords having fallen into a clever trap; many of whom were either killed on the spot or capitulated with swords bared to their necks.

Suddenly a spear came out of the sand and drove its blade into the head of the woptar she was mounted on, "Mai…" Touka cringed recognizing her black robes and steel armor as her rival surfaced from the oceans of sand with a ready shamshir, "I thought somebody like you would pull off a cruel trick like this, Black Devil!"

Mai leaped away as Touka unsheathed an attack from her katana, "More clever than cruel I'd say," Mai stated, An unfortunate Evenkuruga warrior blocked her view to defend his comrade. Mai, in response, fought him off and hacked off his head in an almost fluid motion;

The blood of the fallen warrior was dripping on the edge of her blade, "Touka-san, I thought we would meet again," she smirked under her black veil and got into her ready position to fight her neighboring rival, "I can honestly to say I'm glad to see you,"

Touka growled at Mai's cheeky attitude after she easily slew one of her comrades, "Unfortunately, this will be our last meeting…because your head will be mine today!" She cried attacking the warrior with her katana; she blocked it with her shamshir and so began the clash. Soldiers on both sides formed a large circle around the two fighting warriors, cheering them on as they displayed their best swordsmanship against each other.

"You should quit, because there is no way your corrupted sword can touch me," Touka growled in the face of the warrior clad in the dark shades of night while their two swords crossed and parried in this epic battle between two different sword arts,

"Hmm corrupted you say? Seems like there is more fight in your tongue than there is your blade," Sparks flew from the edges of their swords as the two women warriors fought to their hearts content. The match lasted about half an hour until a tired Mai struck the last blow by hitting Touka in the back of the head with the blunt inside edge of her sword. The remaining soldiers of the Evenkuruga fell silent as Touka had fallen in the sands of the Shiatan plain.

Mai put her sword back in its scabbard and lifted the unconscious warrior up onto her horse. Takiyah and her three mistresses rode away with their forces in victory; allowing what little was left of Orikakan's army to leave unharmed.

"We grant you the gift of mercy," Takiyah stated mounted on her horse, "but we'll take the warrior as a ransom, you have ten days to pay 10,000 silver pieces, "At the borders of the three clan's regions, The Noriyah decided they would take care of the prisoner. For in truth, the Noriyah are probably the fairest of the three clans.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3- The Fires of War**

As 2 long days passed, the morning light seeped into her eyes as Touka woke up inside a Jomon Period house. The aroma of incents and roasting meat over a fire pit filled the room. She got up and noticed a young woman sitting at her bedside.

She had short scruffy black hair and two long dangling hair tails in the back. She wore a cut-off white tank top and baggy black pants with camel-skin shoes, "Hey, you're awake," she said optimistically

Touka woke up in a daze after taking that nasty blow to the head while Mai was fanning the flames to the fire that was heating her one room hut and cooking her dinner,_ "_Ugh…where am I_?" _She said in a daze, slightly cringing in pain at her head wound,

"You're in my house, Touka-chan," said Mai, poking at the meat with checking the meat for tenderness. The aroma of her soon-to-be-ready dinner filled her nostrils, "ah...smell's good doesn't it?" Mai asked, but Touka stayed silent in her face

"Who…who are you_?" _Touka asked, Mai smiled with her green eyes focused on her confused expression_. _She put her knife back it's scabbard strapped to Mai's forearm. She stood up and kindly handed Touka a cup of water.

_"_Humph, not the kind of person you'd expect under the black robes and armor wouldn't you say_?" _a surge of anger rushed to Touka's head as she immediately grabbed her katana and placed it at her neck only to have it blocked by one of Mai's forearms, both are clad with steel arm bands; one of which holds the long dagger called a Telek.

"Now that's not very lady-like, Touka-chan, shame on you_," _Mai said pushing the blade away with the scabbard strapped to her arm. She presented Touka with a plate of meat, potatoes and bread_, _"c'mon, sit down and eat; you need your strength," she urged the battle-weary warrior.

"_This woman…I never expected a strong warrior to act like this toward me, I am her prisoner after all, i'm at her mercy, I guess appearances can be deceiving_," Touka thought for a moment, "_but I should watch my back, this could a trap_," helped herself to the simple meal while Mai watched over her like a hawk.

"Come with me, Touka-chan," Mai said after eating her fill. She lifted up Touka by the hand and led her out the door.

"Where are you taking me, Mai-san?" Touka demanded

"To she who rules this region," Mai looked back at her with a small grin and putting back on her robes and armor. Her face was marked on the left side with an intricate tattoo design, "I feel its best you see our world through your eyes and not the eyes of your lord. The mistress who governs this clan village has called for you,"

She walked out of her hut holding Touka's hand. Mai's wolf tail swished left and right as she waltzed about the village. Mai was a warrior that was respected by everyone in the village. The warriors look to her for courage and she was favorite with the vilage children.

The villagers looked and treated Touka with a mild neglect. She looked about the village as most of the things she saw around her seemed rather alien. Little children ran amuck in the dusty streets, laughing and living life to the fullest. They walked up to the village meeting house where the mistress recited. Mai bowed down in her presence, "how may I be of service, Sanari-sama?"

"Touka-san, it's pleases me to see that you are in good health," Sanari said to the village's prisoner-of-war, it appears Lord Orikakan is not paying the ransom in silver,"

"What, what are you saying my lady?"

A servant presents Sanari with a map of Aza, "He and his armies have been running amuck in Manha lands. Four villages on the eastern border have already fallen. Now I hear he's going to lay siege on the capital,"

"What would you have me do, Sanari-sama?"

"You and Mai-sama will ride now to the capital, and tell Takiyah-dono that the Noriyah will come to their aide,"

"And if the city falls?"

"Then head to our allies in the north, that is the one place Takiyah-dono would go. I'll follow in a week with the armies of the three other clans,"

"Yes, my lady," Mai felt that now, after witnessing her power in battle, it was time to teach Touka one of great skills of the Aza folk.

"So what are these animals called again?"

"Oh, they're called horses," Mai replied looking back at a confused Touka

"Horses…?"

"Yes, our people having been using them for centuries. They come in many breeds for different types of work,"

"I see…" Touka said approaching Mai's steed cautiously, "Shh…it's ok, I'm not gonna hurt you…" suddenly, Mai's horse snapped at Touka's wary hand. She pulled her hand back and bared her sword against the animal's neck, "Why you mangy beast!"

"Stay your blade Touka-chan," Mai commanded stopping Touka's blade with the blade of her shamshir, "I forgot to mention this, Ahsan-kun is a war horse; he's trained to defend his rider from anyone and anything,"

"You could have mentioned that earlier,"

"True," Mai smirked as she lifted Touka onto her steed, "now let's go!"

Meanwhile in Tusukuru, the news of the war has reached Hakuoro's doorstep, "Hmm…Kuccha Keecha is now at war with Aza?"

"Yes, my lord," said Benawi, "The empress Takiyah II rules that desert, but their soldiers are very strong mostly because of their cavalry, but there are no woptar in Aza…"

"No woptar?" Oboro exclaimed, "Then what do they ride, people?"

"No don't be ridiculous," Benawi snapped at Oboro, "they ride the oddest-looking steeds I've ever seen, but they're so graceful in a special way and very fast,"

"Can you describe them?" Hakuoro asked

"I'm not sure, but they have long faces and run on four legs," Benawi explained to Emperor Hakuoro, "They have long tails and have brown hair and are sometimes covered in armor and the ability to outrun even our best woptar,"

"Strange indeed…"

"Hakuoro-sama, there is a stranger at the gates!" a soldier alerted the emperor running through the doors

Takiyah II has arrived at the gates of Hakuoro's palace, "Let me through, soldier!" she commanded pointing the tip of her sword at the guards whom flashed thier spears at her,

"Tell me, who are you?"

"I am the Warrior Empress of Aza, Takiyah II!" She said proudly

"What's all the commotion?" Hakuoro said seeing to what the disturbance was at the gates of his palace.

Benawi pointed his halberd at the empress, "That is the animal I was talking about,"

"Who are you calling animal, do you want to die?" Takiyah blasted at Benawi

"I meant your strange-looking steed, my lady" Benawi commented, "_what a firey temper, she must put alot of courage in her soldiers and alot fear in her enemies_,"

Takiyah calmed down and dismounted her steed, "It's called a horse, oh what am I saying; folks like you wouldn't recognize one," Takiyah said maiing her way up the stairs and bowinf respecfully to the Emperor Hakuoro.

Karura looked at the empress with interest "What a strange looking woman," Karura remarked at the empress's blue and white draping robes of middle eastern style.

Meanwhile in Aza, as evening fell so did the main city of power in Aza, "Hmm, Takiyah-dono isn't here," Orikakan said looking back at the burning capital, "what a waste of time...MOVE OUT!" Mai and Touka made haste to Majidah, The capital of Aza located in the Amani region. She rode up to gates but was too late. The 50 ft high stone walls had been breached and the city was in flames.

"We're…too late," Mai gasped in horror looking up at the bright orange flames as pulled Ahsan's reigns to tell him to stop. She galloped into the capital to find any survivors, "we have to find the Empress, I pray she's still alive,"

"I hope so too," Touka replied looking for anyone who was still alive. To her surprise, she found a badly wounded palace guard resting against the city walls, "Mai-chan!" Touka cried, finding a wounded survivor resting against the palace walls.

"By the Lion of Noriyah, a man still breathes," Mai said in relief. She held up the soldier and gave him water. She held up the soldier by the back of his head, "tell me, soldier, what happened?" She asked him,

"It…it was a slaughter," the soldier muttered with heavy eyes, "They came out of nowhere, they killed women…and children,"

"Where is the empress, soldier? Is she still alive?" Touka requested; but the soldier had just breathed his last breath and passed on to the next world, "So…where do we go from here?" Touka looked up at the nightsky, "I didn't think my people would go to such lengths, it's...it's sickening,"

The city was completely empty of people, but Mai found a horse wandering about the city and walked it over to Touka, "Do you think you can ride her?" Mai asked pointing her sword at the riderless horse,

"I think so,"

"Good, then we head north to Tusukuru," Mai said riding of the city gates, "_Orikakan, if it's a war you want, it's a war you'll receive,_" she thought clinching onto the reins and riding at full gallop. Two days later, the two warriors made it to Tusukuru and the palace of Emperor Hakuoro. They bowed before the leader and his subjects.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- Answering the Call**

In the sands of Aza, a large combined force was on the move, the largest ever in the history of Aza. An army of over 40,000 soldiers from all three tribes was making their way to Tusukuru to meet up with their allies in the north. According to notes, it is a 7 day journey by horse from Aza to Tusukuru. Sanari, Jun and Inaya were at the head of their massive force coming to avenge the shameless slaughter insitgated by the Evenkuruga.

That evening as the thousands of soldiers rested, Sanari wrapped a message holdier around the ankle of a falcon and sent it to Tusukuru telling the empress of their awaited arrival, "Do you think we should involve our only ally in this war," Jun asked coming out of her tent to check on Sanari,

"Have you not heard? They're already at war with the Evenkuruga," Sanari replied pointing her kaskara to the eveings full moon, "it's only natural for us to come to their aide," Early that morning with the sunrise still painting the skies with a canvas of purple, orange and red, the large army picked and moved out en route to the north.

In Hakuoro's palace, tensions were rising as Takiyah II was not too pleased to see the prisoner in her presence, "Touka...it's good to see you weren't maltreated during your time...in our hands," Takiyah said turning a slight look of neglect toward the Evenkuruga warrior. Touka bowed to empress out respect,

"Just answer me this if you can," Takiyah said slowly pacing from end end of the throne alter to the other, scratching her chin and holding her sword by it's scabbard, "according to my reports from the three tribes, your leader has been causing chaos in the northern lands, he's not sparring anyone in the way of his armies, I always looked at you Evenkuruga as a fair people, now you're nothing but a horde of barbarians!"

"And you think I'm to blame?" Touka blasted at the empress, "Mai-chan and I saw the capital, it was in flames! You know how much it hurts to see someone you look up to go down that wicked path?" Takiyah didn't take Touka's words lightly and unsheathed her sword, the tip of the blade barely tickling the skin on her neck,

"You will hold your tongue in my presence...," Takiyah growled

"Takiyah-dono, that's enough, pull back your sword!" Hakuoro commanded,

Outside the palace, the Black Devil was preparing for the coming battle against Orikakan. Mai was a warrior whom was just as beautiful as she was deadly. A buxom woman in look, as buxom as Karura, but one of the best all-around soldiers in all of Aza, "Mai-san, am I disturbing you?" Hakuoro asked whom walked in on her practicing traditional spear fighting, Mai looked over at the emperor and nodded no, "you are so young yet very skilled with weapons, do you feel you are ready to prove yourself?"

"I have proven myself 100 times over in the heat of battle, my lord," She replied looking over at the palace fortifications and throwing the spear like a javelin which stuck cleanly into the wooden post walls defending the palace, "we Aza folk are trained to fight all our lives, ready to defend our homeland at the first unsheathing of an enemy sword," Hakuoro walked with her up to the spear where she pulled it out of the post,

"In that case come back inside the palace, my commanders and your empress would like to have a word with you," Hakuoro said escorting the soldier out of the courtyard into main hall of the palace where Benawi and the other commanders gathered. Mai took her place with a good view of the map presented,

"Our scouts have spotted Evenkuruga forces coming from the south out of Aza," Benawi explained using his index finger to draw out the preceved route of the coming enemy forces, "there also seems a large concentration of soldiers is also heading our way, Aruruu and Mukuruu noted that they don't appear to be Evenkuruga soldiers, and they're heading this way fast,"

"How fast are we talkin'?" Kuro asked,

"According to my notes, they're traveling about...100 miles a day," Everyone in the room was in shock, nobody has ever seen an army move that fast, to the point where Benawi was wondering if his own notes were fake; everyone except Mai and Takiyah whom sat at the table and slowly sipped their tea.

"They're my mistresses," Takiyah explained, "they are the tribal leaders of the the Three Tribes of Aza; Sanari of the Noriyah, Jun of the Amani and Inaya of the Manha, all choosen by the tribes they govern. I received a message from them just this morning, the Aza forces willl be in Tusukuru in a weeks time," Hakuoro nodded and adjurned the meeting since it was getting late.

A young girl with large blue eyes riding a great white tiger looked down at the warrior in black. Mai smiled under her black veil and went up to the girl, "Well, hello there little one," Mai said cheerfully

"Why do you where such weird clothing?" Aruruu asked,

"Aruruu, don't say things like that!" Eruruu scolded, lightly tapping Aruruu upside the head. She turned to Mai with a look of embarrassment covered with light fake laughter, "please, Mai-san, forgive my younger sister, this is the first time she's ever seen Aza folk,"

"You need not worry," Mai said, wearing her sword proudly in her sash and grasping a spear, "a warrior is not determined by how well dressed he is but how well he fights,"

Mai stood on guard with Dori and Gura, knowing that the enemy was on the move and could strike at anytime, "Mai-san, if you don't mind me asking, why did your people decide to ally themselves to Tusukuru?" Dori asked, Mai sighed rested her spear on the ground and looked up at the evening sky which was lit up with many stars.

"It's a long story, but i'll make it short," Mai said looking at the young boy, "legend has it that our Sun Goddess Nuha ascended into the sky in the mountains of this area during in ancient times, according to our beliefs she is the celestial wife of Witsuarunemitea and the mother of our country's first empress, the demi-goddess Kariyah,"

"So what your saying is that you're our ally for religious reasons?" Gura asked, Mai nodded and slightly frowned to the response the twins made, "what, was it something I said?" Mai titterd to the look of shock on Gura's face and patted him on the shoulder,

"You don't need to worry, you didn't do anything wrong," Mai said reassuringly, "the reason we fight by your side, is that we have much faith in Hakuoro-sama...and because of the religious importance, plus we heard your country was having a scuffle with the Evenkuruga as well, so we're offering you our help, don't worry I can go on and on with reasons but we must be ever watchful...for the enemy can attack at anytime,"

Later the next morning, Mai put on her black robes and dark grey armor and practiced archery with Dori and Gura, "You boys are skilled archers," Mai complimented holding her composite bow and firing a few shoots from about 50 yards away, all of them hit their mark to the amazement of the two Tusukuru bowmen,

"How did you do that, with such a small bow?" Gura asked looking at Mai's bow with interest, mounted archers were large part of the Aza arsenal. Archers always galloped in circles around their enemies forces causing confusion and have been considered a menace by the Evenkuruga.

"This bow maybe small," Mai explained, "but shoot an arrow from this at an armored soldier, you can take him down with one shot," Suddenly there came a rumbling tremor from the east and the cries of Tusukuru soldiers coming to the gates with sword, spear and arrow wounds,

"They're coming! They're coming!" a guard cried from a top one of the palace's watch towers, at the drop of a helmet, Tusukuru soldiers stepped up to the battlements and prepared to defend Tususkuru from an army of over 1,000 Evenkuruga (and Kuccha Keecha was a small country) lead by Orikakan himself. Mai saw the ruler himself off in the distance and drew her bow.

"Mai, no," Hakuoro commanded, "don't shoot him,"

"I'm not aiming for him...Hakuoro-sama," Mai noted as she released the arrow at 150 yards, "I was just giving him a warning," the arrow whistled threw the winds and landed it's mark on the head of a soldier near Orikakan's side, he looked up to see that there was only one archer in sight. He got off his wopter and pulled the arrow out of the forehead of the corpse. He ran his figures down the shaft with interest.

"Takiyah's archer's shoot well...," He commented looking at the 4 inch long bodken point on the end of the shaft which was stained with blood and small bits of brain. He slightly bent to arrow with anguish, "that empress is as crafty as the wolf she is," He went up to the front of the fort with a ready double-ended mace, "TAKIYAH! COME OUT YOU MANGEY WOLF!" He shouted slamming his weapon into the ground. Takiyah came forth from the gates to greet the Kuccha Keecha ruler,

"You sure are loud, have you no respect for those who are still sleeping?" She said fully armored and drawing her kaskara from her side, "or those you have already put to sleep, tell me this why haven't you paid the ransom? instead of 10,000 silver pieces, Mistress Inaya has told me you gathered 10,000 severed heads of women and children and placed them in front of the capital!"

"You have your ways, I have mine; I was not informed that I had to listen to the words of a filithy wolf-tailed bitch such as yourself!" Orikakan spat at her, Takiyah clinched her sword, wanting to slay him right there and then but she held her peace,

"If it's a war you want, then a war you shall recieve," Takiyah calmly threatened heading back to the palace walls. The archers nocked the bows and the soldiers inside readied their swords and spears for battle and lined up in organized ranks of infantry and cavalry.

Orikakan nodded and went back to his forces mounting his woptar, "Send in the first detachment," He commanded pointing his large weapon at the palace, preparing for a long battle.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5- The Wolf's Craftiness**

In a barren and wide grass plain outside the palace, the armies of Kuccha Keecha and Tusukuru met face to face. Emperor Hakuoro and Empress Takiyah II were side by side on horseback and woptar. Mixed in with the Tusukuru forces was Empress Takiyah's Elite Escort Guard, these warriors were among the best cavalry men and women of the three tribes and were some of the most famous soldiers in the land, noted for their tenacity and fighting strength despite their small numbers.

"Rak Shine, that bastard, I knew he would make alliances with those scum from Aza," Orikakan spat at the emperor and empress with an angry glare in his eyes. He clinched his double-headed, mace-like staff weapon, "she sends such a small force against me? Foolish woman...I'll erase her armies off the face of the earth!" He watched his army move out of the ranks and charge the enemy, confident in the fact that he will crush Empress Takiyah II.

These majestic veiled warriors wore maroon-colored robes; black and grey thigh-length armor made of small, interlinked rectangular plates just like Mai's, a plain steel crown with an axe-shaped headdress around their turbans and chainmail tunics. Their weapons were two shamshir placed behind the saddles of their horses and are trained, like all Aza cavalry, to kill quickly and ride through the enemy ranks, killing as many as they can until finally retreating for the archers can pick off those they didn't kill in the remaining attacking forces.

"_There are many warriors fighting under the banner of Tusukuru_," Takiyah thought inspecting the Tusukuru forces and immediately looking at the thousands of enemy soldiers and cavalry about a mile and a half away, "_Orikakan's army is larger, but I have my strategy_," Hakuoro and Takiyah both agreed to use the elite guards speed as a weapon against the first detachment which was riding toward their army and fast, "_I still needed Nuha, Celestial Lady of the Glowing Sun, to be on my side_,"

Takiyah nodded to the soldiers behind her and gave them the signal to give a path for Mai and the Elite Escort Guard. Out of the rank separation in the army came 34 armored cavalry on horseback charging in two single file rows of 17 at the Evenkuruga's first detachment which was about 200 strong. The 'Black Devil' was chosen to lead these warriors into battle and lead she did. When the warriors were within 300 yards of the Evenkuruga ranks, Mai raised her fist and the cavalry split apart to form one single line and unsheathed their deadly swords.

Seconds seemed to last forever until the two armies clashed with the loud sounds of sword steel breaking armor and flesh echo in the winds, as fate would show; even the smallest and simplest things are often the strongest. When the two opposing forces met, all hell broke loose in the Evenkuruga ranks. They've never seen cavalry move that fast and with such deadly efficiency. The charging Aza cavalry's swords looked like the wings of a bird soaring in the air, cutting down all who stood in their way, hacking off arms, heads and causing confusion in the ranks.

Essentially, this was a diversionary tactic to lure the first detachment to Dori and Gura and the Tusukuru archers. After the Elite Guards lost at least 14 out of the 35 soldiers while killing at least 150 Evenkuruga, Mai pointed her sword in the direction of the Tusukuru troops, signaling them to fall back. They did so with all haste. The Evenkuruga's first detachment chased them as they retreated, not knowing they were falling into a trap.

A red-tailed arrow few out of the ranks of Hakuoro's soldiers and gave the signal for the Tusukuru archers to come out from behind a raised mound of earth to fire at the charging Evenkuruga. The archers fired volley after volley of arrows at the enemy while the Elite Escort Guard escaped back to the safety of the Tusukuru ranks while the last 50 Evenkuruga were decimated on sight. The corpses of the first detachment were scattered about the fields with only a few woptar walking about, spared from the archer company's merciless barrage.

Orikakan looked at this slaughter in disbelief and anger. He stood up from his throne, pointed his weapon at the enemy and gave the word, "Attack!" Soon 800 soldiers galloped forward on woptar to meet Hakuoro's armies. Hakuoro, in response, unsheathed his war fan, giving the order to engage. The deep bellowing of a long war trumpet (similar to those found in Tibet) and thunder of hooves from the north came down to meet the Evenkuruga on both horse and woptar. The clashing of weapons against flesh and bone plus the screams of dying men would have made the war gods proud.

She turned her steed forward and attacked with the remaining Aza forces trailing behind her. All of the sudden, from the trade trails leading up to the center of the mountain, hundreds of arrows sliced through the mountain forest and cutting down the first charge of the Evenkuruga. It was Takiyah's mistresses, hundreds poured in from the left and right to join the conflict, "You didn't think we'd let you fight all by your lonesome, Takiyah-sama?" Mistress Sanari said drawing her sword to meet the enemy,

"I don't know any people whose loyalty can match you three," Takiyah commented pointing the tip of her sword at the enemy as her horse started to gain some speed and slashing through the enemy ranks. Hundreds of Evenkuruga tried and failed to kill the empress or any of her soldiers. Those fortunate enough to survive the battle noted that 'Trying to kill an Aza warrior is like trying to kill a ghost, you can slash at them and hit only air until you realize the men around you are already dead,'

Takiyah's horse reared up into the air as she unsheathed her silver sword, "Benawi-san can you tell your officers to hold 30,000 warriors in reserve?" She asked, keeping her steed steady with the leather reins, "we'll only need about 1,000 warriors to engage the enemy," She looked at Benawi with a grin under the shaped cloth mask which shielded the bottom half of her face from the sand and dust,

"Yes, Lady Takiyah," 1,000 soldiers including her three mistresses and Benawi plus the Tusukuru forces galloped down the hill the meet Orikakan head on into battle for two days the armies fought and died on the borderlands between Aza and Tusukuru. Mai fought alongside Karura and Touka as those two would eventually become her life-long friends. Karura crushed anyone stood in the way of her enormous sword while Touka and Mai cut down any enemy who came into contact with their katana and shamshir,

"That's a nice sword you have there, Karura-san," Mai stated pushing back an Evenkuruga warrior and slitting his neck with her hidden arm dagger in a headlock, "we live on only one world, I pray that sword doesn't break it in half," Touka chuckled at Mai's joke as the battle raged on around them. One by one, the Evenkuruga's numbers started to dwindle. There seemed to be no possible way to defeat the combined Aza and Tusukuru forces.

"Ha, very funny, Mai-chan," Karura asked, laughing cheerfully, "I just hope that delicate thing you call a sword doesn't break in an enemy's flesh," once again Orikakan was forced to retreat. As the rest of the Evenkuruga were cut down or surrendered, Takiyah noticed two lone figures running from the battlefield; it was Lord Orikakan and a messenger on his way back to Kuccha Keecha. Takiyah reared her horse in the direction of the two men and had her three mistresses' look after the fifty prisoners-of-war taken in the two-day battle.

She rode off after the lord and his messenger and blocked there way on a mountain trail with a ready sword, "The battle is over; you've lost Orikakan-sama," Takiyah said firmly gripping the handle of her silver sword, ready to take Orikakan's head, "if it were me ten years ago, I'd kill you where you stand, but then...who would be around to lead your people?" Orikakan had an arrogant look on his face as he turned his attention away from Takiyah's sword and told his messenger to relay the news back to his country,

"Humph, your pity makes you weak, Okami-san," Orikakan spat at her, Takiyah did you best to ignore the insult and put her sword back in its leather scabbard. Suddenly without warning, an arrow cut through the mountain winds and landed right in Orikakan's neck just behind his mouth. His messenger looked at the body in shock and rode off back to Kuccha Keecha. Takiyah was confused since that wasn't an Aza arrow that struck down the Evenkuruga leader.

Takiyah looked at where the arrow came from pointed her sword in that direction, "whoever you are; I never asked you to kill him, bastard!" She yelled up at an old man atop a large cliff mounted on a Woptar armed with a bow and arrow. He was wearing imperial Chinese-style clothing with a long white and smooth beard. His pointed eyes looked down at the empress with interest,

"I thought you'd be happy to have him off your back, Takiyah the Warrior Empress," the old man replied with cackling and raspy laugh, "I can't stay long, my lady, I have important matters to attend to, we shall meet again," But before Takiyah could climb up to kill the man, he vanished with the grunting sounds of his woptar echoing as he left. Takiyah knew this man was trouble and that something was coming, something far worse than the Evenkuruga.


End file.
